Cereal cooker and sterilizer



A. JOHNSON.

CEREAL COOKER AND STERILIZER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1915.

1,336,079. t te Apr- 6, 1920.

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CEREAL COOKER AND STERILIZEB.

APPLICATION FILED ARR. :1. mm.

1,336,079, Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ADOLPH JOHNSON, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN.

CEREAL COOKER AND STERILIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Application filed April 8, 1918. Serial No. 227,304.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnoLPH JOHNSON, citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cereal Cookers and Sterilizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cereal cookers and sterilizers, and belongs to that class of apparatus wherein the heat that effects the cooking is obtained from circulating steam, and which comprise an outer casing or drum for the reception of the steam, and an inner container or cooker carried by the drum, and from which the steam may be excluded or admitted at will. The drum and cooker are revoluble together.

The object of this invention is the production of a cereal cooker of the general type stated, having an outer drum or casing formed of wrought iron or steel plates, and an inner container or cooker constructed of aluminum, the use of which is found in practice to be desirable not alone by reason of its relatively light weight, but equally on account of the freedom from metal corrosion in the presence of heat and moisture that follows from its use, and the novelty of this invention is believed to reside in the special form and arrangement of the various parts, especially in the parts supporting the inner container or cooker.

The particular construction and arrangement of the parts of this invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings. of which Figure 1 re resents a vertical section lengthwise, and fig. 2 is an end view, slightly enlarged, of the right hand end as illustrated in Fig. 1, the steam inlet pipe being shown in vertical section taken upon the broken liiie 2-2 of Fi 1. Fig.3 is a vertical section of one of t e strainer heads and tubular connections which support the container within the drum.

Throughout the description and drawings the same characters are employed to refer to the same parts.

Considering the drawings, a machine frame A supports the bearings B, b for a pair of hollow trunnions C and D, wherein are formed annular recesses E, 6, containing packing rin s F, 7', which are compressed by the glands 1, 9, thus providing stuffingboxes for the ends of the outlet steam pipe H and the inlet or service steam pipe 71. A

steam service pipe J is connected with the inlet pipe h, and an outflow pipe j is connected'wit'h the outlet pipe H.

The trunnions C and D are constructed with steam chambers K, k, and those chamhers are usually arranged next to the heads of the outer drum or casing L. The drum L is in practice made of wrought iron or steel plates, and the heads of the drum have the trunnions attached centrally to them exteriorly. Thus, the drum L is revoluble about its longitudinal axis.

WVithin the drum is a container or cooker Z and it is within the container that the cereals to be cooked are placed. The container Z is in practice made of aluminum, partly to save weight and partly to avoid metal corrosion due to heat and moisture.

In Fig. 1, on the right will be noted the steam pipe M connected with the steam chamber A: of the trunnion D and opening through the head of the drum L. The pipe M includes a shut-off valve m. It is by means of the pipe M that the steam from which the heat is derived to cook the contents of the container Z is conveyed to the drum L. Also on the right in Fig. 1 and shown likewise in Fig. 2, is a steam pipe N, having the shut-off valve n, and passing through the head of the drum L and terminating in a strainer head 0. The perforated surface of the strainer head 0 is presented toward the interior of the container Z, as illustrated. 'It will be observed that the steam pipe N and the strainer head 0 are attached respectively to the drum head and to the container, and it is intentional in the construction of these parts and their attachments to make them stout enough to constitute adequately a means of supporting the container within the drum.

Again regarding the right hand end of the drum, and lower portion of the drum, there will be noted the strainer head P attached to the container and presenting its perforated surface or part inwardly. The strainer head P is connected with a drain pipe Q, which includes a shut-off valve R. The drain pipe is connected with the drum L and with the strainer head P, and as explained above for the pipe N, the various devices are made stout enough to afford a supporting attachment sustaining the con t ainer within the drum.

Now considering the parts at the left hand side or end of Fig. 1, there will be ob served the steam pipe 8 having the shut-oil .1 the connections with the ends of the convalve T, and passing through the head i tainer prevent any displacement of it either the drum into connection with the strainer way in a longitudinal direction, while the head 5. The strainer head and the pipe are parts P, Q, on one side and the collar 6 on connected respectively with the container the opposite side resist any tendency to disand drum and as before explained afford a placement up or down, and all the connecmeans of supporting the container within tions are effective in resisting a tendency to the drum in that locality. The pipe 8 is, )tative displacement or the container withconnected with the steam chamber K of thew: 1n the drum. trunnion C. Also connected with the cham f Having now described this invention and her K is the pipe U having the shut-off valve {explained the mode of its operation, what I u. The pipe U communicates with theitlclaim is drum L and forms an outlet or exhaust pipe 1. In a cereal cooker, the combination for the drum. 3 with an outer drum having an opening in The drum and container are revolved by: one side, of hollow trunnions arran ed cenmeans of the gear V attached to the truntrally on the heads of the drum, eaci of. the said trunnions having a steam chamber,

nion C and meshing with the pinion e on V horizontal shaft W supported in bearings bearings supporting the said trunmons, means for revolving the drum, each of the 'w, and deriving power from the pulley m.

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown the mansaid trunnlons being provlded with 2. stuffing-box, inlet and outlet pipes passing hole 1 in the side of the container arranged to register with an-opening 2 in the through the stufiing'boxes of the trunnions side of the drum. A manhole plate 3, opcrand opening into the said chambers, tubular ated by a screw 1 closes the manhole l in the devices connecting the steam chambers of container, and the plate a seat ring 5 the trunnions with the drum and including which is attached to an annular projection shut-off valves, a cereal container within or collar 6. The upper or outer edge of the annular projection (3 of the container is secured to the drum and follows the edge oi? the opening 2 in the drum.

In Fig. 2 is shown a drain pipe 7 for the drum, and a shutoff valve 8 is included in this drain pipe.

In the operation of this invention, the material to be cooked is introduced by way of the manhole 1 into the container, and the contents are removed by way of the manhole. As the drum and container revolve, the blades or vanes 'r placed upon the interior wall of the container art to stir the material and to gradually direct it tuward the manhole 1. Steam may be admi s ted into the drum by pipe M and discharged by pipe U. If for any purpose in cooking the cereal steam is necdechin the container. it may be admitted by way of pipe N, or pressure relieved by way of a pipe 8. The container may be drained by way of pipe Q. All inlets or outlets communicating with the interior of the container are protected by the strainer heads described, to prevent the escape of the cooking substances. To firmly support the container within the drum,the principal attachment is the annular projection 6 described as connected with the drum around the opening 2 in the drum. But, such a single supporting device is manifestly insufiicient. Therefore, the inlet and outlet pipes and strainer heads are made of relatively additional strength and are located at separated points whereby the container is supported strongly within the drum and at a plurality of locations. Thus,

one side and having an annular projection connected with the wall of the drum at the edge of the said opening in the side of the drum, a manhole plate, means for securing the manhole plate in the manhole of the said container, tubular devices including valves and connecting the chambers of said trunnions and the container, the said tubular devices being secured to the container and to the heads of the drum and constructed to support the container within the drum, means including a valve for draining the drum, and means including a valve for draining the container.

2. In a cereal cooker, the combination with an outer drum having a manhole, trunnions connected with the ends of the drum and each trunnion having a steam chamber arranged externally next to the end of the drum, a container within the said drum having a manhole connected with the vmanhole of the drum, means for admitting steam into the drum from the steam chamber of one trunnion, means for discharging steam from the said drum into the said steam chamber of the other trunnion, and means for supporting the said container in the drum comprising tubular devices and strainer heads for admitting steam into the container from the steam chamber of one trunnion and for discharging steam from the container into the steam chamber of the other trunnion and for draining the said container.

In testimony whereof I afllx my signature.

ADOLPH JOHNSON.

the drum provided with a manhole at 

